Keep Smiling
by SamCyberCat
Summary: Sometimes Juudai wonders how anyone can keep smiling after everything that had happened. Former Ryo/Fubuki, Juudai's POV.


Notes – For the gx_100. Set during season two, after Asuka had joined the Hikari no Kessha.

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With the Hikari no Kessha at the height of it's power nobody really had time to do much else other than try to stay ahead of them. Least of all Juudai. Every plan they made seemed to be targeted at him.

At least he could still wake up in the mornings, and usually get dressed before the world needed to be saved. That was a bonus.

On one such morning he trailed down from his room to the general area where they all met to talk, running a towel through his recently showered hair. Though it seemed that what remained of the students residing at the Red Dorm had already left. Except for… He glanced over to a figure sat by the TV… Fubuki?

Come to think of it, Juudai hadn't recalled seeing much of him at all since those events had started. It was probably a good idea to make conversation.

"Hey, anything good on?" he asked, walking over to sit on the seat next to him.

If Fubuki had been surprised to see Juudai, he didn't show it. The boy turned to face him with his usual light-hearted grin.

"Not really, just watching some results from the Pro Leagues," he answered. And sure enough various wins and losses from different duellists were scrolling up the screen.

Juudai had to hand it to Fubuki - the boy could cope well. Those Light followers had taken his sister, and while he must be worried about her he still gave you a smile and made time for you when you saw him. Not that Juudai had seen too much of him really.

"Didn't know you were into watching that sort of stuff," Juudai commented, for the sake of keeping a conversation.

"We all have to follow it," Fubuki reasoned, smiling at him, "Well, we don't necessarily ihave/i to, but it's probably a good idea if we want to go there ourselves."

Sometimes it was easy to forget that Fubuki was one of the best students in the academia. Mentally, Juudai kicked himself for overlooking that detail.

"Do you want to go there?" he asked.

There was a pause.

Did Juudai just see a frown appear on that perfectly cheerful face of his? If he had done, it was gone now.

"I'm not sure anymore," Fubuki answered, in what seemed to be his usual voice. But in an afterthought he added, "I mean there are so many other careers you can follow with duelling."

"But want to be famous and the Pro Leagues seems like the quickest way to do that," observed Juudai.

"The Pro League doesn't seem like all it was cracked up to be," Fubuki replied, and there was that falter in his expression again.

"But why…" Juudai followed Fubuki's gaze, which had averted back to the screen.

Hell Kaiser Ryo.

Still on top form with his winning streak it seemed.

"He use to be your best friend didn't he?" Juudai asked, too forward to consider not bring it up.

"To be honest, I'm not even sure when it became 'use to be'," Fubuki sighed, there was no trace of the smile now, "You really don't miss a trick do you Juudai?"

There was a nod from Juudai, who replied, "Everything that's happened recently, it just seemed too perfect for you to still keep smiling. Your sister's been taken, your best friend's changed without any given explanation."

"You don't need to remind me," Fubuki said, "Sorry. I'm usually not that snappy."

"With the losses you've been through you have every right to be snappy," said Juudai, shrugging, "To be honest I've been wondering how you can always look so cheerful after everything that's happened."

"That's… just my way," mumbled Fubuki, he took a picture from his pocket to look at it, from what Juudai could see over his shoulder it was a photo of him with his arms around Ryo and Asuka, grinning madly at them, "Because at the end of the day, even when your world's falling apart and you've lost the ones you love… there's still people who need a smile in their lives. If you keep smiling you can help someone, and that's all that I need." He paused and looked at Juudai directly, "You would do well to remember that Juudai."

And as Juudai faced his opponents for years to come, he really did remember.


End file.
